"Pittsburgh's Black and Gold" is the resurrection of a magazine that was first published in the late 70s, and ended after only a five year run. Today, nearly 30 years later and in a totally new medium, it is once again being published by Angelo Spagnolo, a lifelong Pittsburgher and avid sports fan of all teams "Black and Gold". This site is a tribute to Pittsburgh, where the home teams all wear the same uniform colors. "It's a hard-drinkin' town with an all Pittsburgh sports problem!!!"

Thursday, March 5, 2009

The Pitt Panthers played another game for the ages last night, laying a pounding on #13 Marquette in a game that was much more thrilling than the final score, 90-75, would indicate. But you already know that. Leave it to the investigative journalists at "P.B. & G." to be the only media outlet in the city to post the real story that was going on behind the scenes last night at the "Pete"!

Now I know what you're thinking, "Hey, I thought this was "Pittsburgh's Black and Gold", not "Pittsburgh's Blue and Gold?" Well in a very interesting story, our reporters have learned that the University of Pittsburgh is planning to announce a uniform color change at halftime of the national title game, if they finally make it to that game that is. The idea is that the team will come out for the second half in the traditional Pittsburgh "beat down" colors of Black & Gold and this will be enough to insure that much-longed-for first NCAA basketball championship.

Above: Coming soon to an Events Center near you? Could be! Simply change the IOWA to P-I-T-T". But Iowa hasn't won a national title in basketball, so what's the point," you ask? That's because Pittsburgh isn't in Iowa, they don't have our fans, the three rivers, our bridges, and the Steelers, Penguins and to a lesser degree, the Pirates either!

Our reporters also learned that this change was suggested by DeJuan Blair who was duly impressed by the 350,000 fans who came out for the Steelers parade. Blair actually rode in that parade at the invitation of Steeler Coach Charlie Batch in a nice touch to honor the Pittsburgh superstar. He then made the suggestion to coach Jamie Dixon primarily because he'd like to ride in another Pittsburgh victory parade.

Above: Blair is indeed a monster, but he's a monster who likes parades too, make no mistake about that! Would you want to go up for a rebound against "Pittsburgh's Cloverfield Monster" ("P.C.M.") ? I don't think so!

Last night at the game, Pitt Chancellor Mark Nordenberg had Steelers Coach Mike Tomlin as his special guest. Nordenberg also had Dan Rooney at a game recently to make sure that the Steelers were totally on board with the planned "secret" move. Tomlin reportedly was "ecstatic" after hearing the idea, according to our sources. Said one Pitt athletic department official on the condition of anonymity, "The Black & Gold has a lot of magic in big games. It will be a gigantic psychological advantage for the guys and even if it only got us one more basket, that could be enough to win it all in a big game like that."

"P.B.& G" photo by D. Navis

Above: Pitt Chancellor Mark Nordenberg at the second he's about to tell Coach Tomlin about the uniform change idea. Nordenberg, it was learned, was separated at birth with former VEEP Al Gore.

The only hangup could be Pitt's answer to the "No Fun League" and that would be the NCAA. "Yeah, knowing them, they'd use an electron scanning microscope to make sure we didn't change colors if they told us we couldn't," said the official. "They're as anal as they come.

"

Above: The NCAA will probably commandeer this microscope from a Pitt lab.

The reason for this planned change is actually deeply rooted in Pittsburgh sports history. The Pittsburgh Penguins announced their color change at halftime of SuperBowl XIV in 1980. The Panthers apparently wanted to get on board with all of the other major teams in the city and make the minor color change that a move from navy blue to black would entail.

Above: Notice on the left the subtle change that Pitt will make. This tiny color change will allow them to break the jinx that has surrounded their basketball team forever and will allow them to raise their first "national champions" banner at the Petersen Events Center.

"I hear you could scratch my back with a hacksaw!!!"

Mellon Arena

Another Pittsburgh Icon soon to be blown up. They should've made this into the "North Pole Casino". It would've been great!

Chuck Tanner Figurine

Quite possibly the worst sports likeness ever foisted upon the figurine-bobblehead collecting public

Pittsburgh Icon WITH HIS ICON

Waving The Icon He Created ! God Bless You Myron!

Help Spread The Word!

If you're a new reader of "Pittsburgh's Black and Gold" I'd love to hear your comments! You can either leave a comment on an individual article or email me directly if you have a story or link at: angelospagnolo66@hotmail.com. I hope you enjoy reading "Pittsburgh's Black and Gold" as much as I enjoy composing it!

Jack "Splat" Lambert

"Count Dracula In Cleats". I wonder how he feels about Hines Ward getting fined for hitting people too hard?

Maz Bobblehead

Doesn't Look Like Him at all.

"The Mendoza Line"

Baseball's Equivalent of the Worst Avid Golfer. I'd like to meet him, but it could cause a crack in the "space-time continuum".

"The Poison Brothers"

We Miss You Myron

About Me

I'm well known for my golf exploits as "America's Worst Avid Golfer" (Golf Digest Magazine, 1985). I took 66 strokes on the island hole at the TPC in Florida (losing 27 balls in the process) thus the 66 on my profile. For the whole gristly story: http://commodoreclub.org/administrative/257_for_18_holes.htm/

"Beat the Broncos...

DICK GROAT

Falling Below Mendoza Line

"P.B.& G." Editor brings another title home to Pittsburgh in 1985 as "Worst Avid Golfer". Click on the photo to see CBS' coverage!

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Here's another beautiful shot of one of the world's most picturesque cities.

WHO WE ARE, WHAT WE DO AND WHY WE DO IT

"Pittsburgh's Black and Gold" is a regularly published blog site that is not sponsored or endorsed by any of the teams that it reports on (Steelers, Penguins, Pirates). All pictures are used here without prior permission. However, if we have used your picture and you would like us to take it down, we will gladly comply with your request. Our mission statement at "PB&G" is to provide an additional insight into all things Black & Gold both for current Pittsburgh residents and for those transplanted Pittsburghers who will always call "The 'Burgh" home.